Boat having air propelling means



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1951 ii m mm v m? I IIIIIIII Hmwnww ZeZaraZ U1 Woodswowfig June 29, 1954 L. A. WOODSWORTH BOAT HAVING AIR PROPELLING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1951 Izweaaifofl lIeZazad fl.wbodswoz% Patented June 29, 1954 BOAT HAVING AIR PROPELLING MEANS Leland A. Woodsworth, Roxbury, Mass.

Application February 17, 1951, Serial No. 211,453

8 Claims.

My present invention relates to that type of boat that is driven by an air propeller and that has its hull bottom formed with a channel extending from end to end thereof.

Many proposals have been made to power boats by means of air propellers but these have not been satisfactory for widely varied reasons. Among these may be noted the space limitations imposed by the use of air propellers, the necessity of protecting boat occupants against the blasts of air attendant their use, and unsatisfactory performance due to lack of flexibility and stability.

In accordance with this invention, I provide a boat the hull bottom of which has a channel extending from end to end thereof, with a first conduit and a sleeve associated with the front part of the first conduit to establish therewith a second conduit. At the stern, such a boat has controls including a rudder and transversely pivoted blades and one of the conduits extends from end to end of the boat along its center line and above its water line to deliver air to those controls. I also provide a control unit which has a rearwardly disposed outlet opening into the front part of the hull bottom channel, a port opening into the conduit that extends from end to end of said hull, and a port opening into the other conduit forwardly of the first named port and the outlet. Power driven means adjacent the front ends of the conduits serve both as an air propeller and as means to deliver an air stream through each of the conduits. I provide my control unit with a valve operable to direct any part or all of the air from said other conduit through the outlet and rearwardly along the channel to exert a lifting force on the hull bottom or into the conduit delivering a stream of air to the controls.

In the accompanying drawings. I have shown an illustrative embodiment of my invention from which these and other of its novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a boat in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section along the lines 33 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a section along the lines 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a stern view of the boat, and

Fig. 6 is a View showing the bow end of the boat.

At Ill, I have indicated a boat hull having its bottom formed witha centrally located channel i l extending from end to end thereof. I provide the hull ill with a conduit [2 which also extends from end to end of the hull along its center line but above its water line.

At the stern, I employ a pair of vertically spaced supports l3 for the post I I which has an air rudder l5 and a sea rudder l6. Between the post I4 and the stern and centrally of the rear end of the conduits I2 is a vertically disposed divider I! and the rudders are turned by the wheel 18 through any suitable means such as are indicated generally at 19.

I also provide the conduit [2 with a centrally located and horizontally disposed divider 20 rearwardly of which is a transverse shaft 2:] supporting transversely pivotedblades 22. The shaft 2| is rocked to tilt the ailerons upwardly or downwardly by suitable connections indicated generally at 23 including a control lever 24 which I have shown as having a ratchet type of releasable lock 25 associated therewith.

While the conduit [2 is shown as extending through the passenger compartment, it will be appreciated from Fig. 1 that its location does not prevent convenient seating arrangements. The engine, indicated generally at 28, has its housing formed as part of a transverse walkway 21 having steps 28 leading to the single seats 29 forwardly thereof and steps 30 disposed rearwardly towards the double seats 3|.

Adjacent the front end of the conduit 12, I have shown a sleeve 32 which defines with the conduit I2, a second conduit subdivided by a plurality of helical supporting partitions. In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, there are four such partitions 33, 34, 35, and 36.

At 31, I' have indicated generally a control unit which includes a rearwardly opening outlet 3% opening into the front part of the channel I I substantially in parallel with the hull bottom. The control unit receives air from the second conduit and the embodiment thereof shown in the drawings is pref-erred.

The control unit 31 includes a front part 39 divided by longitudinally extending partitions 40 to establish four laterally spaced compartments 4|, 42, 43 and 44. The sleeve 32 has a port for each'subdivision of the second conduit and these are longitudinally spaced from each other and transversely located so that each discharges into a separate compartment in the front part 39 of the control unit 31. Adjacent the port of each subdivision of the second conduit an end for that subdivision is established by a suitably curved defiector plate 45 (see Fig. 3). The front ends of those compartments are, of course, closed but they are open at their rear ends.

At the rear end of the control unit 31, I provide it with a ported connection 46 with the first conduit l2. At 41, I have shown an air valve adapted to be positioned to direct all or any part of the air stream from the second conduit through the outlet 38 or to divert all or any part of that stream into the first conduit l2. The valve 41 may be operated by any suitable means, such as I have indicated generally at 48 and shown as including a lever 49 associated with which is a ratchet type of release lock 50.

The engine 25 drives the means which function both as an air propeller and to deliver an air stream through each of the conduits. I have indicated its drive generally at 5| extending forwardly through the conduit l2 and having a propeller 52, housed by the extremity of. the sleeve. 32 which is shown as extending forwardly of the front end of the conduit I2, and a second propeller 53 exposed sufiiciently beyond the extremity of the sleeve 32 to be effective. as an air propeller. I have shown each of the propellers as being of a four bladed type as it is preferred that the propeller 52 have the same number of blades as there are partitions in the second conduit.

In operation, it will be appreciated that an air stream of substantial force is established through each conduit. Assuming that the valve 4'! is positioned to direct all of the air stream from the second conduit through the outlet 38, that stream is forced rearwardly along the channel l I to exert a lifting force on the hull bottom. The air stream through the conduit 12 not only serves as a steadying or stabilizing. factor but also serves both as means enabling the boat to be steered by its air rudder l5 and as means enabling the control of the lifting force exerted by the air stream through the second conduit to be eifected by means of the transversely pivoted blades 22. In this connection, I prefer to subdivide the air stream through the first conduit by dividers located ahead of the rudder and the ailerons to increase their efiiciency. Control of the lifting force exerted by the air stream through the second conduit may also be effected by use of the valve 41 to divert part of the stream into the first conduit [2.

It will be appreciated that the primary purpose of forcing an air stream along the hull bottom channel is to exert a lifting force capable of causing the boat to ride higher in the water independently of itsspeed or load thereby to decrease resistance to its movement. The conduits for the air streams and the control unit are, of course, both water and air tight.

It will also be appreciated that my control unit 31- has the added feature that when its valve. 41 is positioned to close the outlet 38, the boat may be reversed and for that reason, the engine 25 has associated with it a suitable reverse, not shown, or the propellers may be of the reversible pitch type.

It is important to note that the second conduit and the control unit 31 have, in their preferred embodiment, an important additional function. It is, of course, essential to have the air stream through the outlet 38 as free of turbulence as possible and the flow of the air through the control unit part 39 accomplishes that result. It is likewise desirable to accomplish the delivery of air from the second conduit to the control unit without an excessive upward force on the bow of the boat and this is effected by subdividing the second conduit into separate helical streams of the same volume.

From the foregoing, it will. be appreciated that my invention makes possible boats that are driven by air propellers at their bows serving both to drive them and to develop separate air streams increasing both efiiciency and convenience of operation.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A boat comprising a hull of the type having a channel in its bottom extending from end to end thereof, a first conduit, a sleeve associated with said first conduit and defining therewith a second conduit, one of said conduits extending from end to end of said hull above its water line, a control unit having a rearwardly disposed outlet opening into the center part of said channel adjacent its front end, a port in communication with the other conduit, and a port in communication with the conduit that extends from end to end of said hull, power driven means adjacent the front ends of said conduits serving both as an air propeller and as means to establish an air stream througheach of said conduits, and a valve in said unit operable to direct any part or all of the air from said other conduit through said outlet and rearwardly along said channel to exert a lifting force on said hull or into said conduit that extends from end to end of said hull.

2. A boat comprising a hull of the type having a channel" in its bottom extending from end to end thereof along its center line, a first conduit extending from end to end of said hull along its center line but above its water line, a member in the form of a sleeve for the front part of said first member and defining therewith a second conduit, a control unit having a port opening intosaid first conduit and a rearwardly disposed outlet opening into said channel adjacent its front end, means effecting communication between said second conduit and said unit, power driven means adjacent the front ends of said. conduits serving both as an air propeller for said boat and as a means to deliver an air stream through each of said conduits, and a valve in said unit operable to direct any part or all of the air stream from said second conduit through said outlet and rearwardly along said channel to exert a lifting force on said hull or into said first conduit.

3'. A boat comprising a hull of the type having a channel in its bottom extending from end to end thereof along its center line, a first conduit extending from end to end of said hull along its center line but above its water line, an external sleeve for the front part of said first member and defining therewith a second conduit, a plurality of helical partitions interconnecting said sleeve and said first conduit and subdividing said second conduit, a control unit having a port opening into said first conduit and a rearwardly disposed outlet opening into the first part of said channel, and a port in communication with each subdivision of said second conduit, power driven means adjacent the front ends of said conduits serving both as an air propeller for said boat and as means to deliver an air stream through each of said conduits, and a valve in said unit operable to direct any part or all of the air stream from said second conduit through said outlet and rearwardly along said channel, to exert a lifting force on said hull or into said first conduit.

4. The boat of claim 3 in which the power driven means include at least one propeller and the propeller has the same number of blades as there are helical partitions.

5. A boat comprising a hull of the type having a channel in its bottom extending from end to end thereof along its center line, a first conduit extending from end to end of said hull along its center line but above its water line, an external sleeve for the front part of said first member and defining therewith a second conduit, a plurality of helical partitions interconnecting said sleeve and said first conduit and subdividing said second conduit, a control unit having a port opening into said first conduit and a rearwardly disposed outlet opening into the front part of said channel and including an elongated housing longitudinally partitioned forwardly of said port and said outlet providing the same number of channels as there are subdivisions of said first conduit, said sleeve having a port for each of its subdivisions disposed to register with one of said channels, power driven means adjacent the front ends of said conduits serving both as an air propeller for said boat and as means to deliver an air stream through each of said conduits, and a valve in said unit operable to direct any part or all of the air stream from said second conduit through said outlet and rearwardly along said channel to exert a lifting force on said hull or into said first conduit.

6. A boat comprising a hull of the type having a channel in its bottom extending from end to end thereof along its center line, a first conduit extending from end to end of said hul1 along its center line but above its water line, a sleeve for the front part of said first member and defining therewith a second conduit, the front end of said conduit, a control unit having a port opening into said first conduit and a rearwardly disposed outlet opening into the front part of said channel, means effecting communication between said second conduit and said unit, power driven means adjacent the front end of said conduit including a propeller housed by the front end of said sleeve to deliver an air stream through each of said conduits, and a valve in said unit operable to direct any part or all of the air stream from said second conduit through said outlet and rearwardly along said channel to exert a lifting force on said hull or into said first conduit.

7. The boat of claim 6 in which the power driven means includes a second propeller mounted coaxially with the first propeller and located forwardly of the front end of the sleeve.

8. A boat comprising a hull of the type having a channel in its bottom extending from end to end thereof, a first conduit, a sleeve associated with said first conduit and defining therewith a second conduit, steering means at the rear end of said boat including a rudder and transversely pivoted blades, one of said conduits from end to end of said hull above its water line to deliver air to said steering means, a control unit having a rearwardly disposed outlet opening into the front part of said channel, a port in communication with the other conduit, and a port in communication with the conduit that extends from end to end of said hull, power driven means adjacent the front ends of said conduits serving both as an air propeller and as means to deliver an air stream through both of said conduits, and a valve in said unit operable to direct any part or all of the air from said other conduit through said outlet and rearwardly along said channel to exert a lifting force on said hull or into said conduit that extends from end to end of said hull.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 366,535 Voden July 12, 1887 1,782,753 Wheeler Nov. 25, 1930 1,795,596 Fleming Mar. 10, 1931 2,233,231 Vincent Feb. 25, 1941 2,483,663 Nowak Oct. 4, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 124,915 Great Britain Apr. 10, 1919 323,658 Great Britain Jan. 9, 1930 OTHER REFERENCES Baughmans Aviation Dictionary, 2nd edition, published by Aero Publishers, Inc., 120 North Central Avenue, Glendale, California. 

